Our Best Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet potatoes and potatoes are as closely related as onions and asparagus—in the same botanical order, different families. Sweet potatoes are true root vegetables, an enlarged section of the root used by the plant to store energy, while potatoes are stem tubers, formed from the stem of the plant. Lucky for us, the sweet potato isn't only nutritious (high in vitamins A and C), it's also both tasty and versatile. From simple mashes to casseroles, gratins, and pies, check out our best sweet potato recipes.

Sweet potatoes and potatoes are as closely related as onions and asparagus—in the same botanical order, different families. Sweet potatoes are true root vegetables, an enlarged section of the root used by the plant to store energy, while potatoes are stem tubers, formed from the stem of the plant. Lucky for us, the sweet potato isn't only nutritious (high in vitamins A and C), it's also both tasty and versatile. From simple mashes to casseroles, gratins, and pies, check out our best sweet potato recipes.

More

September 10, 2010

1 of 31Caitlin Bensel

Nutty Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If you prefer your sweet potatoes more on the savory side, this dish is for you. Since the tubers are already naturally sweet, we add just a small drizzle of honey to enhance their flavor. The tahini lends a distinct nuttiness and contributes to the overall creaminess of the dish. We use a food processor because it creates an incredibly smooth texture; you can also mash with a potato masher for a more rustic dish.

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry

Sweet potato, red bell pepper, and baby kale make this quick curry hearty and colorful. These vegetables make the meat almost secondary; just 12 ounces will go far here. If you can’t find baby kale, you can use spinach or lacinato kale cut into 1-inch pieces. Use the rest of the can of coconut milk from the satay to enrich the sauce in the curry. To cook the quinoa, simmer 1 cup uncooked quinoa in 2 cups water for 14 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens

Sautéed yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beets are topped with poached eggs for a meatless meal fit for brunch or dinner. To save time, you can purchase precooked, vacuum-packed beets at many markets in the produce section.

Sweet Potato Tots

Take a break from sweet potato fries and try out tots instead. Oven-baked until they're brown and crispy, these tots will satisfy your wildest savory cravings without overloading you with calories and fat. Served with a zippy jalapeño ranch dipping sauce that's loaded with protein and fresh herbs, these cute sweet potato tots make for the perfect appetizer or mid-afternoon snack that your kids will devour.

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

The ultimate vegetarian chili powered by fall flavors. Sweet potato, black beans, and plenty of aromatics simmer in a velvety, pumpkin-infused tomato broth that is ultra rich and comforting. A pinch of cinnamon and dash of chipotle chili powder add a robust flavor profile that will warm you up from the inside out. Add any pumpkin-flavored beer you like. As far as toppings, the sky is the limit. We swoon over a hearty dollop of 2% Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, and green onion.

Sweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes

I remember trying potato pancakes from a Jewish friend in grade school and loving them. This dish is a cross between that and my favorite fritters from home, with shrimp, lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and nuoc cham. I consider this dish a modern Vietnamese cook's interpretation of a classic. If you can find white sweet potatoes, use them—they're drier and less sweet than their orange cousins. Place the dipping sauce in a bowl surrounded by the lettuce and herbs so guests can build their own lettuce wraps as they like.

Spinach and Feta Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

The simple, scalloped shell made from thinly sliced rounds of sweet potatoes makes this version of a popular brunch (or supper) dish gluten-free. Choose potatoes with comparable diameters to create uniform slices for the easy-to-make crust. A makes slicing quick and precise, but a sharp chef's knife will work too. You can also slice the potatoes in the food processor using the slicing blade.

Sweet Potato Noodles with Shrimp and Thai-Style Almond Sauce

Smarter carbs are easy with the handy spiralizer—it works like a pencil sharpener to create long strands of veggies. Find the tool at kitchen stores and .com. Spiralized veggies are showing up everywhere—in salads, in place of pasta, and even in desserts. These sweet potato "zoodles" transform a traditional pad thai recipe into a fun twist on a weeknight favorite. The best news? This recipe comes together in 20 minutes, making it a go-to for any busy weeknight. Break out your spiralizer, get the family involved, and get cooking on your new favorite recipe featuring the best of fall flavor.

Fish House Sweet Potato Hash

We absolutely love this simple, comforting hash. It pairs well with almost anything—Grilled Trout with Cherry Compote, as well as roast chicken, pork chops, steak, and even sunny-side-up eggs. If you would like to get a head start on the recipe, you can bake the sweet potatoes a day or two ahead; then you'll only need about 15 minutes to pull the dish together.

Bacon-Powered Sweet Potato Veggie Skillet

Bacon is loaded with flavor, but that indulgence comes at a sodium- and saturated fat-filled cost. Have your bacon (and eat it, too) by using a small amount to season an entire pan of plants. Bonus: The fat helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A and K.

Sweet Potato Medallions with Almond Sauce and Chickpea Salad

Enjoy a plant-based meal, including sides, main dishes, and desserts, without a trace of gluten. You'll have guests leaving the table with no idea that the meal was tailored to a restricted diet.

This impressive plate requires only 5 ingredients (water, oil, salt, and pepper are freebies). Microwaved sweet potatoes are sliced into medallions, brushed with oil, and lightly seared so they become satisfyingly steak-like. The creamy, nutty sauce adds richness, and the lemon-dressed arugula-chickpea salad bulks up the plate beautifully. In place of almond butter, you can use any nut butter you like—try peanut, cashew, or sunflower butter. And if canned chickpeas aren’t in your pantry, try cannellini or navy beans.

2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes

Light, fluffy, and most importantly, 2 ingredients—these pancakes are absolutely to die for! The best part—they’re simple enough for weekdays, yet feel indulgent enough for weekend brunch (even though they’re not indulgent at all). Simply combine one roasted sweet potato with two eggs, and you have clean pancake batter ready to be cooked.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Oat Topping

This classic casserole often straddles the line between side and dessert (indeed, we've enjoyed the leftovers both ways). We dial down the sugar to steer the dish back to savory territory, and add a crunchy oat and nut topper for texture. A final drizzle of maple syrup just before serving gives the casserole a lovely sheen. While we call for a ricer in our master mashed potatoes, a potato masher is perfectly acceptable here since the spuds will be bound with an egg, topped, and baked. Chopped almonds or walnuts would be a delicious sub for the pecans.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Noodles

Smoky bacon and earthy Brussels sprouts unite to bring a punch of flavor and texture to this naturally sweet veg. Add a couple of cashews for a touch of crunch, and you’ve got a healthy main course meal that feels just as decadent and satisfying as your average pasta dish.

Advertisement

17 of 31Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey-Pecan Butter

Baking a sweet potato brings out its natural sweetness, but if you’re short on time, use the microwave instead. Or look for canned mashed sweet potato at specialty markets. Try these split and stuffed with Virginia ham, without the Honey-Pecan Butter.

Sweet Potato Stacks with Sage Browned Butter

Holiday sweet potato sides can lean toward too-sweet territory; a dose of salty, nutty Parmesan balances the flavor in these adorable, delicious stacks. Get the kids to help by having them stack the slices and cheese in muffin cups as you follow behind with the browned butter. Use small potatoes so the slices will fit into the muffin cups. Make sure to slice the potatoes on the thin side, about 1⁄4-inch thick, so they’ll cook through (insert a toothpick in the center of each stack to test for doneness). You can also alternate with slices of baking potato or parsnip for pretty white and orange layers.

Slow Cooker Beef-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Robust chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper are tamed and balanced by sweet potatoes. Leaving the peels on the sweet potatoes has three benefits: Prep is faster, you add more fiber, and the potatoes hold their shape better after the 7-hour simmer. Besides, the peels get so tender that you barely notice they’re there. If you’d like to change things up, try parsnips in place of the sweet potatoes; they have a similar sweetness and earthier flavor and won’t fall apart after cooking for an extended time. You don’t need to fully cook the ground beef before it goes into the slow cooker; just cook it enough to “set” the shape of the crumbles.

Maple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

These creamy sweet potatoes with a sweet and crunchy topping are completely irresistible. You can make this dish up to two days ahead. Simply bake the potatoes and assemble. Then refrigerate and bake just before serving.

Advertisement

26 of 31Photo: Jennifer Causey

Beef and Broccoli Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Overstuffed spuds are fun and fast. Make extra of these Mexican-inspired and take for lunch the next day. Besides a stuffer, frozen broccoli florets make a second appearance as part of the sauce in creamy .

The New Essentials:

Frozen Steam-In-Bag Broccoli Florets - These store much longer than fresh, adding green veggie heft to any main dish or acting as a simple, ready-to-go side.

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Here’s a great way to rev-up your typical baked sweet potato: Turn it into a gorgeous hasselback sweet potato, and drizzle it with smoky chipotle cream. The accordion-like cuts give the potato some crispy outer edges, keeping the insides moist and soft. They also turn it into a pull-apart dish that’s super fun to eat. You can bake just one for yourself for lunch or dinner, or cook up a bunch at a time (perfect for dinner parties or holiday entertaining).